Autos
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Here's how a large interstate gas station can be reimagined as a fitness "Community Center."Reebok/Gensler

Instead of exiting for a slice of pie, a cup of coffee, and a fill-up at an interstate-highway truck stop, some visionaries would prefer tomorrow’s road trippers instead stop for some cardio, maybe lift a few weights, and enjoy some locally grown sustainable sustenance while waiting for their electric vehicles to charge.

Athletic shoe and apparel manufacturer Reebok recently teamed with the global architecture and design firm Gensler in a new “Get Pumped” program to help answer the question, “What happens to the nation’s gas stations when full-electric cars – especially those of a self-driving nature – dominate U.S. highways?” Prognostications suggest there will be more than 71 million autonomous vehicles transporting us from here to there by 2030.

The answer, at least according to Reebok and Gensler, is to turn them into roadside “fitness hubs,” where motorists can stop to enjoy a healthy meal, get some exercise, and “prioritize their mental and physical wellness.” The goal is to ensure that wherever one lives or travels, a healthy gym and restaurant would be no more than a few miles away.

To that end, Reebok and Gensler have developed a plan that would redevelop existing filling stations according to either of three health-minded models:

The Network: Major interstate-highway rest stops would be turned into full-blown fitness centers where motorists and their passengers can shake off the road trip cobwebs by, say, running, spinning, boxing, or taking Crossfit classes while they replenish their vehicles’ batteries.

The Oasis: Larger gas stations adjacent to smaller local highways would become “recharge zones” to offer those with grueling commutes a mental and physical respite via yoga and meditation pods, and meet their nutritional needs via a juice bar and a farm-to-table restaurant.

The Community Center: Smaller gas stations could be transformed into mini-facilities that address local residents’ needs. For example, the former repair shop section of the building could be converted into an area for teaching nutrition classes, while the mini-mart can be reconfigured to sell local healthy food, and pop-up facilities can be employed for Crossfit and spinning classes.

“We envision our cities of the future to have a network of fitness oases between home and work where you could stop and recharge more than just your car,” says Alfred Byun, a designer at Gensler. “Imagine an option to leave the traffic jam to unwind with yoga, get your Crossfit fix, or pick up a green juice and your weekly farm share all in one place.”

But why wait for a golden all-electric autonomous motoring future? At the least, considering that today’s gas stations, especially mammoth XXL facilities off the interstates, quite literally sell every type of junk food known to humanity, we’d love to see some that could eschew chips and day-old hot dogs to instead specialize in somewhat healthier fare.